Oil Skies and Aquarelle Rivers
by Amends to the Living
Summary: "If you peer into her mind for a moment, you'll see her smaller counterpart waving her hand to emphasize the insignificance of it all." Set somewhere after the events of 4.04. Slightly AU. Naomily.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Set somewhere after the events of 4.04. I decided to take an angsty mood and turn it into a Naomily fanfic. I haven't written for them before, but I recently got hooked and decided to give it a go. It is slightly AU for its twist and my genuinely new approach to the characters. Heads up, I do love dark humor and incorporating music every now and then. Also, I'm American, so unfortunately, my grasp of their lingo fades in and out. Pointers and reviews are most welcome (:

* * *

_And she's strong when the dreams come_  
_'Cause they take her, cover her, they are all over,_  
_The reality looks far now, but don't go._

Her dark brown eyes fluttered open slowly, a dull headache as evidence of last night's events clouding her mind. The disgruntled redhead mumbled curses under her breath as she turned on to her side. She half-expected to be flush against the blonde who had recently embarked on a path to redemption.

Emily had expected it, yes, and maybe a part of her still hoped for it… a very small part. Minuscule. Microscopic, even. I mean, if you peer into her mind for a moment, you'll see her smaller counterpart waving her hand to emphasize the insignificance of it all.

But their curves… their curves always seemed to fall into place so perfectly, like the pieces of an incomplete puzzle coming together. They never fit together just right, you see, but it was good enough. It had always been good enough, right? No… no, of course not.

Sophia was living—well, _not-so-living_—proof of that.

Instead, she reached out blindly to swat at thin air, before her hand fell prey to gravity and collided limply on to the wrinkled cool sheets. Her fingers spread apart in hopes of detecting any remaining body heat, but found none. The lips that had twitched indecisively between a hazy smile in her sleep induced state and a steadfast frown finally evened out into a neutral straight line, leaning more towards the latter.

An old familiar fear of abandonment and panic irrationally crept through her bones and up her throat. It reached her husky voice with great speed, making it tremble slightly despite herself. When she spoke, Emily didn't recognize the face behind her own voice. There was a faint hint of neediness and innocence to it that she had come to loathe.

"Naoms?"

The old nickname slipped stealthily passed her lips before she could help it. Her fingertips slowly retracted from their spot on the mattress and settled on her mouth, tracing along the curve of her parted and shocked expression. Her cheeks flushed deeply as the latest events of her life crashed down around her like a beautiful lie. It felt like a shower of broken glass.

_From time to time, there are colors and shapes_  
_Dazzling her eyes, tickling her hands,_  
_They invent her a new world with_  
_Oil skies and aquarelle rivers._

She could see herself reflected back at her in some of the pieces, but the others were tainted with crimson regret. Emily wasn't quite sure which one of them the brilliant color belonged to. She found herself seeing things in black and white lately, figuratively and literally speaking.

Some days she could only see blue.

It jumped out at her when she least expected it, like the blue in her pen or the blue in the sky as she drank herself into oblivion, stretched out on the back lawn of Mrs. and Mrs. Campbell's. Even her reflection in the lake… yes, _the lake_… the one that was no longer just her place to think when she needed it, but a constant reminder of the one who'd hurt her so.

The love of her life no longer existed and in her place was someone that she didn't recognize anymore. The light in her bright blue eyes was gone, and late into the night, all Emily would hear was sobbing and a mantra of whispered apologies from the other corner of the bedroom (whether it was Naomi's subconscious guilt or not was up for debate).

It was a vulnerability that the old Emily would have longed for and cherished; an inside look into the mind of the girl that she had chased for so long.

But now Emily could only think of it as weakness. Maybe she was being too hard on her, but she was far too broken to make any sense of it. To make any sense of why she'd returned, only to wake up to the blonde every morning. Sometimes closer, sometimes further away.

Emotionally, however, they were worlds apart.

Pulling the duvet up to her chin, Emily turned to lie on her back, staring up at the ceiling that Naomi must have gotten quite used to when the redhead slept over. Though they didn't do much _sleeping_ then… normally that simple recollection would cause her lips to quirk into a little impish grin and a light, shy blush to rise on her rosy cheeks. Now it only made her feel sick.

Every morning had turned into a routine. First, she would nurse the headache pounding on the sides of her head, much like a caveman stumbling into a cavern. His preferred method of knocking was throwing all of his weight against the door, it seemed…

(Though the voice in the back of her mind was always quick to remind her that it wasn't necessarily a 'he.' No, the Naomi-shaped angel on her shoulder would raise her voice a few pitches—like she always did when she was fucking _ecstatic_ about something—and ramble on… about feminism, equality, and 'cavewomen…' or whatever the correct term was.)

Next, she would toss a long-winded string of "fuck" unceremoniously into the empty room as she moved into an upright position (with great effort, might I add, after getting absolutely pissed) and grabbed her pants on the edge of her bed. They almost looked like they were mocking her from there.

Her clothes were quickly starting to resemble something Katie would wear, which would surely make her twin proud of her 'muff muncher lezzer sister.' But Emily found herself not caring. It was easier that way. She didn't care about her state of mind, or her dress code, or when her mind would stumble headfirst into the gutter when she was around another girl…

_But don't you run away already,_  
_Please, don't go._

Hmm, that usually happened when Naomi was around, but it felt like the politically passionate blonde was now the stranger in the picture. She didn't attribute it to payback. Her mind refused to believe that she was incapable of feeling anything towards another person besides the simple notion of exacting revenge on her partner...

Because then that would confirm all of her other fears, wouldn't it? That she was just like her mum? Doomed to use her children as a basic reason for staying together?

"You've got to be kidding me..."

The redhead's eyes narrowed gently at the bright light that emitted from her cellphone as she read the screen: 4 missed calls and 9 text messages.

Most of them were from Katie, asking her in an exasperated tone (yes, Katie "fucking" Fitch had this _uncanny_ ability to channel her contempt even through a simple text message) why she wasn't picking up and if she was finally shagging someone worthy of her.

(Ahem… preferably with a cock.)

You'd think that after the lovely mess that her love life had been, that Katie would be a _little_ more open-minded about finding true happiness—whatever the fuck that was all about—but no, she was still being a bitch about it all.

Maybe deep down her twin was just as upset about her downfall as she was. Maybe she had tried to accept it (as much as any homophobe could), only to find herself disappointed when Naomi took the easy route she did, and Katie never took disappointment very well. Emily knew that she cared, but she didn't appreciate her being overprotective all of the time…

Then again, that could have also been the little nagging voice in her ear telling her "I told you so." Not just Katie, but her mum, who had practically made billboards to the town about how she was dating JJ. And get this, the very guy she wanted to convince was as gay as a window!

I know, I know… it's more than safe to say that Emily didn't understand it either.

_How can you stay outside?_  
_There's a beautiful mess inside_  
_Take a deep breath and dive,_  
_There's a beautiful mess inside._

Her hand firmly grasped around a half-empty bottle of vodka, quickly uncapping it and bringing it up to her lips for a swig. She used to see things as half-full, but she couldn't bring herself to be optimistic when her basic foundation had crumbled beneath her feet.

Her girlfriend had fucked another girl; 'fucked' because the idea of Naomi _making love_ to anyone other than her would jumble her sodding mind downright to the point of no repair. Not that it made much of a difference which one it was, because the idea of her Garibaldi addict so much as touching another girl made her skin crawl.

Her family was homeless and crowding whatever little space she had acquired, in attempts to try to get as far away from them as possible in the first place. So any hope for personal growth could be crossed off her list. She had Naomi to thank for that. _Again_.

Her 'friends' had always been more Katie's friends than her own, or even Naomi's. Emily had spent most of her time bathing the blonde in her unconditional love and attention, so she didn't really bother to forge any tight friendships with other people…

Well, maybe Thomas and JJ, but both of them were too caught up in their own troubles, involving guess who? Women. So it was just Emily Fitch.

Not Naomi's girlfriend, not "Red" or "Emilio man," and certainly not Katie's sister.

Just Emily Fitch.

She felt a strong burning sensation as the vodka moved down her throat, making her eyes screw shut at the bittersweet taste from being the first thing she'd had that morning. It wasn't the brightest idea to drink it straight. But there was another step after this one and it was necessary to down the liquid raw.

_Every night she hears beautiful strange music,_  
_It's everywhere, there's nowhere to hide_  
_But if it fades, she begs,_  
_Don't take it from me, don't take it._

Every morning when she felt herself slipping back into old habits and thoughts of a place in her life where she didn't belong anymore, Emily would conjure up an old image of Naomi in her mind. The blonde was almost always smiling and she'd be quick to fall for that old Campbell charm, slipping right into the giggles and sweet words that her memories provided.

Sometimes she just wanted to stay there in her school girl fantasy, with a slight smile spread across her face as her brown eyes transfixed on nothing in particular in this world. Things were safer there. Things actually made sense.

_There's a beautiful mess inside and it's everywhere,_  
_Just look at yourself now._

But then the skies would open up and lightning would crackle and splash across the sky on the canvas of her imagination, thunder rumbling intrusively in her head and causing another pang from her throbbing temples. The thin line between expectations and reality blurred, until the Earth opened up underneath her feet.

Every morning, Emily broke up with her again. It started off the same and there was a hope in her heart that something would go differently. But it didn't. She would relive that day in her mind when Naomi screamed after her, begging her not to go.

After a while, the redhead started to get creative. She didn't want to keep feeling that pain again; she wanted to be as numb as possible. Today, she dishonestly left a note. Most of the time the process played out and remained in her mind, so she would simply imagine herself doing it, cutting off all the ties to her former life without actually having to do any work.

_Deep inside,_  
_Deeper than you ever dared,_  
_Deeper than you ever dared,_  
_There's a beautiful mess inside._

But something was different about today. Maybe it was the confidence induced by the vodka (always her cheap excuse for anything Naomi-related) or the numbness that seemed to affect her whole body, except for her toes. She felt the distinction clearly when she clumsily stubbed her foot on the end of the desk while searching for a pad of paper.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she found two tickets sticking out of a book from the library. And although she couldn't help but let her eyes trail casually over the title, it wasn't the book that interested her.

Of course, you could reason that it was really none of Emily's business where Naomi was going. Hell or something like it would be her safest bet at this point. But nonetheless, curiosity got the better of her and before she knew it, her eyes were scanning repeatedly over the location.

They were two tickets to Goa.

* * *

**A/N:** The centered song excerpts are from Far Far by Yael Naim.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for all the lovely reads, reviews, and alerts! Time to bring in the other half of the equation that is Naomily. Enjoy (:

* * *

It took her mind a moment to fully register what she was staring at. They had talked about it before in the better stages of their relationship, but actually having the pair of tickets in her hands was different. It was a tangible example of Naomi's commitment to her.

If she didn't know any better, Emily would argue that the blonde had done this on purpose. But that would mean that she really was "all-seeing" and they hadn't exactly been out in the open or anything. She had seen Naomi sitting by the kitchen table with her face behind that same book earlier that week, probably staring at the tickets that would go to waste.

_Why didn't she mention this before?_

The redhead wondered, before she realized that they hadn't really had a proper conversation in a while. Not since all the cards were laid out on the table that devastating day on the rooftop and even less so after Emily made out with a random girl during their BBQ.

No, _her_ barbecue... she had to stop using "they," because there wasn't a "they" anymore.

Emily had only tried to make them look like mutual hosts to make her mother feel uncomfortable. There wasn't any passion between either of the kisses shared that day. I mean, if she remembered correctly, she had also caught Naomi by surprise in the kitchen—and retaliated at her decision to let her family move in without even discussing it with her first—by practically forcing her tongue down the blonde's throat.

So there were two instances.

Holding the tickets firmly in her grasp, she looked down to see her knuckles turning pale white as she gripped the edge of the desk and shuffled over to the door.

The house that had once been the center of communal living was a mess these days.

But as Emily peered out into the hallway, she noticed that most of it had been cleaned up. Her family had moved out last night, so it was just the couple of them again. She wondered which was worse, the constant dysfunctional commotion of the Fitch family or her piercing silence with her girlfriend...

It was hard to tell which one was _louder_ at this point.

Katie would still come over unannounced to use up all their hot water. James had used the same excuse at first. But after noting the tension between her and Naomi, he decided that being a peeping Tom would be more exciting at their new place (if you could even call it that).

The redhead's feet gently padded down the hallway. She felt the familiar scent of Garibaldis coming from the kitchen, where she presumed the blonde to be. It was like a mental switch had been flipped; she _never_ saw one without associating it with the other after they started seeing each other.

But as she peered in the direction of the source of the delicious scent, she found herself alone.

Emily's brow furrowed and creased towards the center, before hearing some muffled movement coming from outside. Opening the door and perching herself against the doorway, her chocolate brown eyes peered out at Naomi washing the scooter. Although normally she would worry and wonder how long she had been out there, now she only wondered why.

Did she need to distract herself too?

Because let me tell you, seeing some of the water glistening on the skin exposed from Naomi's sleeves like that was pretty distracting, even now.

* * *

There were soapsuds everywhere and plenty of moisture leaking from her fingertips as Naomi lifted her hand to brush her hair from her face. It wasn't particularly hot out, but her cheeks were slightly flushed from the self-demeaning thoughts running through her mind. She wanted to find a way to make it up to Emily, since she knew that trying to explain her actions would get her absolutely fucking nowhere.

And who else could she blame but herself?

It was funny how she could write endlessly about any political event or protest, but the one subject that mattered and that the blonde seemed _complete shit_ at was being a girlfriend. Relationships in general were just never her forte. She wasn't particularly social, so what made her think that she could handle a relationship?

I guess it always came down to the same thing: love.

Somewhere along the way, Naomi Campbell had finally become convinced that love was enough.

She was skeptical of it at first, but Emily had chased her down endlessly. She opened her up in a way that she never thought possible. Even Gina had warmed up to the idea of her daughter being so close to someone, without being rude or condescending about the fact that it was a girl (which despite her usual outwardly disapproval of her mum's lifestyle or antics, it was a _huge_ relief to be accepted).

God, it still felt like she was talking about another person sometimes when she looked back on her life.

Sure, so she had been scared of being with another girl, but the fear was mostly out of being with anyone… at least in the way that she had been with Emily.

It wasn't just the rumble and tumble. It wasn't even how well they balanced each other out, because the redhead was normally more compassionate and shy, while she was blunt and cut-throat sarcastic. It was how one simple look could calm her, excite her, and pull her halo off of her head all at once.

Her girlfriend's intense, captivating eyes just had this power—this _incredible_ power—to break through her ice queen façade and even beyond that:

They made her feel warm.

Maybe that's why she suddenly felt a certain warmth surge from the very tips of her toes up to her muddled head when Emily was near.

Her bright blue eyes didn't move up from their spot on the scooter as she continued scrubbing it down distractedly. She chose not to acknowledge the new presence by the doorway. She didn't have to. She knew _exactly_ who it was.

Emily "the lobster" Fitch.

Reaching over for the helmet dangling on the handlebars, Naomi dug into it for the pair of goggles that she'd bought over the summer with the money from the drugs that she had sold to Sophia. It was strange how imperfectly entwined the events of her life were, or how one thing led to another.

_Naomi Campbell, your life truly is a beautiful disaster._

She held them carefully in her hands for a long moment as she remembered the day when they had arrived in the mail, almost swearing for a split second that she heard Emily sigh reminiscently from the doorway.

Then, almost as soon as it came, the warmth disappeared completely.

Slowly looking up from her position, Naomi didn't frown at the absence of the redhead. Instead, she found the corners of her lips curling into a very light smile, though it took great effort. You see, she had feared that she might have forgotten how to smile after so long...

But after this, it was a start.

After hosing down the scooter and staring at her handiwork for a lingering moment, Naomi turned and headed back inside.


	3. Chapter 3

There were still reminders of their love for one another here and there. The chalkboard with their pet names for one another, the fluorescent sticky notes of random musings (or heads up for late arrivals) on the fridge, and most recently, the addition of Emily to her personal mural.

It was a project that she had started around the same time that the investigation on Sophia began, but the blonde never got around to finishing it. Naomi wondered if she ever would. She wondered if she would ever be given another chance to wear her heart on her sleeve like that, and she knew that the other girl in the house was the only one who could give that to her…

Because Emily was the only one that made it feel like home.

When she finally entered the kitchen, Naomi saw Emily sitting at the dining room table, just staring back at her with an unreadable expression.

She was still the first thing that Naomi focused on when she entered a room. It was hard to miss the vibrant red hair that had grown a little passed her shoulders, or her cute little button nose that used to scrunch up in disdain when she didn't like something…

_Jesus_, she was beautiful.

She even picked up on the permanent scowl on her lips that stretched from ear to ear, suddenly drawing her attention towards the unfamiliar dangling earrings.

They must have belonged to Katie. I mean, she might have been a tit of a girlfriend, but she _knew_ Emily's things. Those earrings definitely belonged to the other twin.

But then she noticed Emily push something towards the middle of the table and her baby blues widened at the sight of the tickets. Her gaze flickered incredulously between the two—the pieces of paper and the redhead—before gulping nervously. She fumbled distractedly with her hands, before she pulled out a chair and plopped herself down on it unceremoniously.

This was going to be a long day at Mrs. and Mrs. Campbell's.

* * *

Now under the watchful stare of the Fitch sitting across from her, Naomi's gaze remained transfixed on the table. She knew that there was only so long that she could avoid the conversation, so she decided to prolong the unsettling silence as much as possible.

I mean, after witnessing the fight between the Fitch twins at the Love Ball, can anyone _really_ blame her?

"Oh!" stumbled from her lips in realization as she stood up again, the chair scraping underneath her from the sudden jerking movement as the blonde nearly ran over to the far end of the counter.

Lifting up a paper towel, the smell of Garibaldis wafted through her nose and taunted her, beckoning her to take just one bite, but Naomi adamantly resisted her temptation as she took a small tray of them over to the table and set it down opposite of the tickets, more so in Emily's personal space.

The way she set it down in an almost cautious manner made it seem like a peace offering of sorts, but Naomi knew better by now than to believe in such luck.

Emily glanced down at the food quizzically, before remembering that it was the last meal that they had shared together… at least in the same room. Lately, it had mostly been takeout and she would go one way with her order, while the blonde went another.

Although, to give her some due credit, Naomi had not-so-subtly tried to close the distance between them once or twice, but Emily would wordlessly leave the room.

See, she wasn't ready to put a band-aid on things and call it a night. Emily was hurt and it would take a while for the wounds to heal. But right now as Naomi's gentle actions sunk in, all she wanted to do was to give in to the blonde.

Deep down, her old self struggled something fierce against her resolve. The love that she had for the other girl was strong—a little _too_ strong when the time called for her better judgment—and that's why it hurt to be around her now. It hurt to be so close, yet so far away…

But then again, Naomi's absence didn't do much for her either.

Emily was caught up in a downward spiral. She was resentful and cruel when she was around the one she loved, but when she wasn't? She didn't know what to do with herself.

Either way it was a losing battle and the redhead found herself acting out in self-destructive ways to try to stay afloat. Snogging random women and going from being Katie's shadow to hiding from her own wasn't who she was.

None of this was and she hated Naomi for that.

But most of all, she really hated _herself_ for allowing her girlfriend to become such a large part of her. By asking for Naomi to let her in, Emily had done the same and she left herself wide-open for heartbreak. Loving someone isn't the hard part; it's everything else that comes with it.

* * *

So here they are, the redhead staring down a plate of Garibaldi biscuits, while the blonde tried _not_ to do her best fish out of water expression as she gaped and shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the sight of the tickets to Goa.

Finally, Emily reached out to take one of the 'squashed flies,' not really out of hunger, but rather in hope that it would kick start the conversation.

Naomi understood the non-verbal cue, taking in a deep breath and nodding to herself. Her voice was a bit hoarse from lack of use, but she licked her lips and willed herself to speak. Eventually, the words formed and left her lips in a quick-like manner.

"When did you find them?"

Emily probably should have been paying attention to the question that the other girl posed, but instead she found herself wondering when was the last time that Naomi had eaten. She looked paler than she remembered and Emily noticed the way that she kept her eye contact from wandering to her favorite food. Maybe it was a way of proving her self-control, in a very small way.

Then again, Emily could just be reading far too much into it, like she always did.

"Today," came the husky, flat reply as the redhead wondered whether it had been that morning or that afternoon. She didn't really bother with the time anymore, but she was in no mood for sarcasm. So Emily kept it light and to the point…

"Were you going to shag her there too?"

Okay, _not_ so light.

The words came out sharper than Emily had intended, but the clear distinction between her mind and her mouth had disappeared a while ago.

She didn't want this to drag on any longer than it needed to and she just… genuinely wanted to know… although it had been rhetorical, up until she realized that it could be a very real possibility.

"What?" Naomi blinked in shock at the sheer implication, not sure if she was being put under the microscope as some kind of test, or if it was just a _really_ bad joke. However, Emily had taken to embarrassing her lately (and she deserved most of it), so that notion wasn't too far-fetched.

Emily sighed as she was faced with what looked like every other innocent act that Naomi had ever played: about being gay, about wanting someone, about fucking Sophia… about anything! She was fed up with it and beyond tired at this point. So instead of humoring the blonde, Emily moved forward to stand.

"No."

Emily paused at Naomi's firm response, not sure if she was answering her question or just asking her not to leave. Because that's all she could do at this point, _ask_ her. Sinking back down in her seat, the redhead lifted her chin slightly and stared squarely at the other girl.

"No… for fuck's sake, no!" Naomi continued in a bit of an exasperated tone, shaking her head vigorously and causing her blonde tresses to fall into her eyes. Normally, Emily would have made some kind of affectionate gesture to wipe them away from her face. But this time, she didn't move from her spot.

So the blonde continued, spurred on by the deafening silence that threatened to swallow them both whole, like the very dragons that inhabited her heart.

"I got them... for us."

Emily closed her eyes and nearly flinched at the use of "us" in that sentence. The few words that Naomi spoke seemed so heartfelt that she had to look away. She could almost feel the beginning vibrations of a gentle tremble from the pair of lips that framed a very familiar mouth, one that she had mapped out so well with her tongue time and time again.

Naomi was actually nervous. She could stand on top of a table and speak out when she was running for student president, but she was having a hard time with this and Emily could tell. But that didn't mean that she was going to go any easier on her.

"When?"

Emily asked with a very light intake of breath, running her fingers absentmindedly through her red tresses. She almost swore that she heard a gentle "Jesus" being muttered under the blonde's breath, but she didn't press it. She just wanted the truth, for once.

"About three months ago."

Naomi answered after a pause, physically showing signs of fighting an internal battle as she picked away at her cuticles and her whole body stiffened. She didn't dare lift her gaze out of the fear of finding herself face-to-face with more disappointment.

She wasn't sure how much more of it she could see in those deep brown eyes before she drowned in it.

Emily reached out to stop her movements, placing her hand over Naomi's for a small moment, and the brief contact sent little shocks of electric feel right through both of them.

Saying that you might want to _fuck_ someone and saying that you _loved_ someone were often confused to mean the same thing. But snogging and holding hands were two very different things. Emily found this particular contact to be very intimate, a shy blush reaching her cheeks as she downcast her gaze while she pulled it away in a moment of weakness.

But the damage had been done and she could almost feel Naomi's eyes expectantly boring a hole into her forehead.

Fuck, what did she expect to find up there anyway? Traces of the old Emily? Because, just incase Naomi didn't get the memo, that Emily was long gone (or so she liked to think).

"Ems…" the blonde tried her luck, even though she knew that it was hopeless.

Naomi knew that Emily would snap at her and correct her for using that nickname. In fact, she was damn well _sure_ of it. But she wanted to get a rise out of the other girl. She wanted to be screamed at, or reminded just how fucked up she was for letting this happen.

She wanted the mother Fitch to show up and tell her just how much she was corrupting her daughter. She wanted Katie to show up and tell her how Emily had sorted JJ good and proper, because she didn't want her anymore. She wanted to feel pain, or anger, or _something_…

So when Emily didn't say anything, selfishness prompted Naomi to continue.

"Say something."

Those two words slipped out faster than the blonde could snatch them back. Emily's eyes had finally drifted up to her face now, but she could see the flashes of pain and hurt in them as they darted from side to side. Naomi made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

"I'm all about experiments, me," Emily bit off angrily, taking her sweet time pronouncing every single word in her low, husky tone.

But this time it was different and it almost felt… _wrong_.

Her pupils weren't dilated in lust like they had been at the lake. There wasn't an insecure smile tugging on her lips, or misplaced hands frantically searching for the hem of her lover's shirt. Naomi still felt the heat building in the pit of her stomach, but it wasn't desire.

It was a lovely whirlwind of butterflies and hurricanes, mixing together so intricately that it was hard to tell which one came first.

Naomi could feel the moisture building in her eyes refusing to fall, and she wondered where she found the strength to cry anymore. How long was the human body capable of mourning for what it had lost? And would it really make any difference if the answer were forever?

She gripped the edge of the table when she noticed a flicker of red hair moving passed her and into the bedroom, the door shutting firmly behind her.

Setting her head down on the dining room table, Naomi's messy head of blonde hair fell all over the place and shielded her from the world. She slammed her head gently against the tabletop a couple of times, muttering "Stupid twat" to herself for her insensitive slip, before staring off into space until she felt an uneasy sleep take over. It was light enough so that she still felt everything else around her, but she hadn't caught a proper wink in weeks.

* * *

**A/N: **Many thanks for all the positive responses to this story! This one took a little longer to write, because a part of me just wanted Emily to give in, so that Naomily can happily co-exist just like before (yes, I'm a sucker for happily ever afters). But life doesn't work that way. All mistakes are always my own and I don't own Skins, unfortunately. Heads up, there might be a couple of guest appearances in the next chapter (:


	4. Chapter 4

Sitting on the ledge of the building as she clutched a bottle of vodka like a safety net, Naomi peered over the edge at the ground below. She didn't remember it being so high from the ground, but then again, she hadn't been the one standing on the edge. Emily had been the one to walk the fine line, while she stayed behind and cowered on the brink of safety.

That also closely resembled their roles in their relationship.

Emily had been the one to chase her and wait and cry, but she never held back. She always wanted them to be together, even if that meant disappointing her family or getting _those_ _looks_ from people out on the street or at school. Naomi was never sure of what she wanted (or just too deep in denial to admit it), so she didn't take the leap, she just took the easy way out.

But now that she was sitting right where her girlfriend and Sophia's brother had once been, Naomi knew that she was closer to understanding what it was like to be brave…

Not just the fear of free falling, but the fear of facing the truth.

It had to be here. This was where the beginning of the end was, so there had to be _something_ here. It just had to be so, because Naomi was holding on to that hope tighter than anything else in her life.

But the cool breeze, colliding into her face and causing chills to run tantalizingly up and down her spine, was anything but forgiving. She could almost feel the goosebumps surfacing on her skin, caused by the absence of Emily's warmth. Without the redhead, everything else seemed dull and cold.

Red was the only color that seemed to resonate within her world anymore, while the others were opaque and blended in.

Then there was a flicker of brown beside her that immediately caught her attention, prompting Naomi to turn her head at the possibility of company. Even if it was unexpected, it was still somewhat welcome. But instead of finding herself staring at Effy or even Katie, it was someone else altogether:

_Sophia_.

The blonde licked her lips and grimaced in confusion, recognizing her right away, although she could only see the side of the other girl's face.

Her bright blue eyes moved down to the other pair of lips that had parted, straining her hearing to try to pick up on the mumbling from the long lost stranger, but she couldn't make out the words.

What was Sophia doing out here? How could she even _be_ here? Wasn't she dead?

As much as Naomi wanted to be mad at her, she was far too confused to sort out her own emotions, so she didn't know _what_ to feel.

She wanted to scream, but she didn't have the willpower. It was like the physical presence of her betrayal to Emily had scared her into a silent submission and she could do nothing but stare. Stare and hope that she would go back to wherever she had been hiding.

She couldn't deal with this right now. No, Naomi could never deal with anything. _That_ was her problem.

So now one of them had decided to stare her right in the face, except that Sophia wasn't staring at her. In fact, she hadn't moved at all since Naomi first noticed her sitting there. What the fuck was wrong with her? Though I guess the real question was: what the fuck was wrong with Naomi?

Was this some sort of sick, twisted closure, or was she really flying off the fucking rails?

Finally, Sophia moved up on to her feet and a gasp left Naomi's lips as she vividly recalled seeing Sophia's body hit the floor at the club with a sickening thud. Naomi didn't want to relive that moment. She had done the best she could to push it to the back of her mind, but now it was forcing its way back out on to the surface, clawing and scratching at her subconscious.

"Don't!" Naomi cried, but Sophia didn't appear to hear her as she moved to stand on the ledge. "Please… please, don't do this again!" she continued pleading with the living dead girl, who was visibly transfixed on something below. She wanted to move, she wanted to do something to stop her, but something was holding her back.

"Be brave, Naomi," a voice called out, and although Sophia's lips were moving again, it wasn't her voice.

No, she _knew_ that voice. The blonde narrowed her eyes in confusion as tears now stained her cheeks, but she finally remembered how to work her legs as she swiftly moved over to the brunette, the unapologetic sway of the wind tossing their hair into their faces.

Reaching up fearlessly to touch the stranger's face, the other girl finally turned her head, but it wasn't Sophia at all…

It was Emily.

* * *

Waking up with a start, Naomi brought her hand up to her mouth and clamped her teeth on to her curled fist, muffling her cries from echoing throughout the house. Her eyes glazed over in pain, confusion, and fear as she stared across the table at the uneaten Garibaldis. But one of them was missing from the batch, so she realized that it was just a dream. It was over now. She slowly started to calm down as she broke away from her limbo, which had been plucking tightly on her heart strings like an experienced harp player.

She finally removed her hand and ignored the teeth marks on them as she grabbed her phone, sending a quick text.

_I need to talk to you. Meet me at the shed in twenty? Please, it's important. x Naomi._

Setting her phone down on the table, Naomi reached into her back pocket for a fag and a lighter, even though she knew that Emily hated it when she smoked inside.

So she didn't light it, grabbing them both when she found them and heading outside. She left the front door slightly ajar, feeling her hands shaking a little less after she had taken a few puffs. She sniffed away the remnants of her emotional struggle, before tossing her waste into a trash bin.

But as bits and pieces of her vague, but terrifying nightmare flashed before her eyes, she felt something vile rising in her stomach and abruptly leaned over it to empty the very few contents of her stomach into it. Naomi heaved a few deep breaths after it passed, resting her hand against her abdomen. She clutched at her midsection tightly, willing it all to stop.

When her world came tumbling back into focus, she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth in an expertly way of someone who had survived many hangovers (but only _one_ heartache), before she headed back inside for the second time that day.

This time, however, the blonde was less hopeful than the first.

Her screen had lit up, indicating a new text message. Naomi's eyes moved over it quickly, reading it once, twice, and even _three_ times to make sure that it wasn't a response that she had formulated in her mind, before nodding quietly to herself and heading out the door.

She wasn't aware that Emily had been standing nearby, watching her closely.

She had seen the whole exchange, including the hushed pleading whispers during her sleep, and Emily didn't think about it twice as she reached for her coat and keys. The redhead was halfway out the door when she stopped, doubling back to grab something else as well.

* * *

Naomi pulled up to Freddie's shed a few minutes before the allocated time, carelessly dropping her bike to the grass and moving through the backyard. She knew that Cook and Freddie wouldn't mind if she was there.

Taking in a few deep breaths, she finally peered inside to see none other than Katie fucking Fitch stretched out on the sofa, reading a recent issue of _Heat_.

"Finally! It took you long enough, cunt. It was almost time for the next issue to arrive in the post!" the brunette snapped from behind her distraction, turning the page without so much as glancing up once at Naomi, leaving the blonde a little speechless at her punctuality.

Katie, however, had absolutely no problem talking. She never did.

"Well, go on then, don't just stand there like you're Jesus. The miracles aren't going to spill from your mouth, hunny. So talk."

Naomi finally gathered her bearings, letting the door close behind her as she made her way inside. There was a distinctly male essence in the shed. Not just because of the smell or the pictures that plastered the walls, but also because of the porno mag that Katie was currently sitting on.

She chuckled quietly at this, causing Katie to carefully perch a brow in disdain, before following her gaze down to the object of Naomi's entertainment.

"Fuck's sake, could you be anymore of a muff muncher? Look, I didn't come here for this. I didn't even come here for you; I came here for Emily."

Naomi's face fell back into its neutral state as she took a seat beside Katie, who grumbled as she tossed the magazine halfway across the room and mumbled something about the internet, before crossing a leg over the other as she sat beside the girl who had ruined her sister's life. If Naomi didn't start talking soon, they were _both_ going to regret showing up to this little engagement…

"You were right."

Katie blinked and stared at the blonde as if she had just grown a third eye, knowing that type of confession _never_ came from Naomi Campbell, especially not towards her. She felt concern immediately sweeping over her features, but made no attempt to tell her otherwise.

What? I mean, she _was_ right about something, right? She always was.

"I'll never be able to love Emily as much as you do. You've known her your entire lives," Naomi said with a very brief smile at the recollection of one of Emily's baby pictures on her wall. "I've…"

No, too fast, try again.

"I've only loved her since I was twelve."

Katie continued staring at the blonde, who had now turned and angled her body towards her, neither of them noticing that the door behind them had opened slightly.

"I'm a coward… she found the tickets for Goa that I bought for us today and I couldn't… I didn't bring myself to tell her before," Naomi continued, the tears now falling freely down her face in front of the last person that she ever expected to run to. But in some weird way, she felt like Katie was the only one who could possibly understand. If anything, she would tell her off properly, at least.

"W-why are you telling me this?" Katie finally spoke, berating herself for the slight stutter in the beginning, which was purely out of her inability to deal with this situation so suddenly.

"Because I love her," Naomi said after a moment's pause, shaking her head as she clasped her shaking hands together. "I fucking _love_ her, Katie. And it… it scares the shit out of me. Because I lost her after what happened with Sophia. And despite everything that has happened, I would die for her… but I'm not sure that I'll be able to reach her in time."

The elder Fitch stared at the blonde carefully, a hint of anger now coloring her otherwise pale cheeks as she took her turn to speak in spades.

"Reach her in time? What the fuck are you going on about? She's still here, Naomi! She left her own family to be with—"

But they both paused as the shed's door finally creaked open and signaled another presence, a set of mouths falling open as the very subject of their heated conversation stood at the door.

* * *

**A/N: **Another speedy update! Mostly because my muse can be quite compulsive, but I'm not complaining. So I'm not sure how well I did with the dream sequence, but I've always wanted to do one, so I gave it a go. Did anyone guess that she texted Katie? I'm sure the logical choices would have been Cook or Effy, but she's not very logical without her Ems. Thanks alot for the words of encouragement. Likes, dislikes, and/or suggestions for the future are welcome (:


	5. Chapter 5

Katie stared back at her younger twin for a long moment, her mouth opening and closing quickly in a useless attempt at speaking. For once, she was truly and utterly speechless. "Right," she finally muttered, recalling the last time that she tried getting in between the couple at the Love Ball.

It seemed like no matter what happened, Emily would always choose Naomi.

This was hard for Katie to accept, mostly because she liked being in control and above everyone else. But as she cast a quick glance towards Naomi, she realized that she wasn't envious of her current position. Not at all. "I'll leave you to it then."

She made a quick beeline for the front door, but as soon as she began to brush passed Emily, a hand came out and gently squeezed her shoulder, causing her to stop and stare at her twin.

Katie knew by the pained expression on her face that Emsy had heard everything, including the choppy bit about leaving her family. See, she hadn't admitted her resentment towards the growing separation between them since her sister moved out. Not like this.

Leave it to Blondie to fuck things up even further… even if her words _had_ made sense.

While stuck in the fruitless process of trying to find someone to blame, Emily closed the small distance between herself and her sister, pulling her closer into a warm embrace. She buried her face in the crook of Katie's neck, submissively hiding herself from the world and looking out from behind her sister's shadow again, even if just for a moment. Emily missed being able to do this, letting Katie fight off her demons for her when everything became far too overwhelming for her to handle on her own.

Katie noticed this and hugged her sister back, almost forgetting that Naomi was still standing in the same room and looking on from the sidelines. There may not be anymore clear bumps or bruises on Katie's otherwise flawless skin, but she was emotionally scarred. She couldn't just blame the boys, or her parents for the downfall of their tight-knit family.

The elder twin knew that some things, like not being able to have children, were sudden and inexplicable. There would always be obstacles in life that had to be overcome, in order to grow into a better person. So as Katie mumbled something in their twin language to Ems, she slowly and decidedly peered over her sister's shoulder, giving Naomi the 'you break her and I'll break you' look.

She was Katie fucking Fitch and she'd never let _anyone_ forget it.

A moment which had been laced with warning, suddenly softened into an unexpected comprehension and there was a notable change in the air as Emily pulled away and stared back at her sister. Before Naomi came along, or even before the birth of James, Katie had _always_ been there for her. Granted, most of the time she was pushing Emily around, but she had been there.

Sometimes that's all Emily needed, someone to be there.

Katie brushed Emily's bangs away from her eyes with a smile, before stepping out of the shed with a brisk pace to her step. She didn't want to leave her sister there with that stupid tosser, but Naomi had a way with words. Now don't get me wrong. That didn't bloody mean that she was going to go home and sit back with a bunch of fannies. But Katie was starting to realize that there were things that she could no longer protect Emily from.

Not heartbreak, or the harsh reality, or the blonde ice queen that was starting to unravel under Emily's watchful gaze.

* * *

They both kept their distance at first. Emily shifted her weight from one foot to the other, crossing her arms over her chest as she took in her new surroundings. She wasn't too familiar with the shed, apart from the stories she heard. Naomi, however, couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from the redhead, even if her makeup was running and she probably looked like a fucking mess.

But she was always a mess around this Fitch and it was one of the few things that she could be completely sure of.

Emily's gaze fell on the magazine that Katie had been sitting on earlier, furrowing a brow in a disturbed manner at the thought of her sister going through one of those. It didn't matter if it was full of fannies or muscle men. She was still her sister, for fuck's sake.

Naomi noticed those chocolate brown eyes setting on something, her curiosity getting the best of her as she broke her everlasting gaze. She bit back a giggle, knowing that it wouldn't be appropriate, though she wasn't sure what to feel. Emily had caught the tail end of her confession and she felt more vulnerable than she ever felt in her entire life.

(Yes, even more than that time she woke up with Jesus in her bed… or the Messiah, _thank fuck_ communal living was over.)

Or was it really? Because even if Naomi could literally reach out and touch her, she and Emily still seemed like perfect strangers. How much could a person change over the course of a few days? It was a question she often pondered. They shared a house, but it felt like they were miles apart. Even her conversations with her mum over the phone were more personal.

Emily felt the blonde's gaze burning through her alabaster skin, but she didn't dare look. Not yet. She couldn't, or maybe she just wouldn't. She couldn't cave; it wasn't time yet.

Naomi felt the tears filling her eyes and spilling over the brim without warning, drifting down her cheeks as she sought the door. The shed suddenly felt a little too small and overwhelming, a familiar sense of reckless abandon rushing straight through her veins in spades. It was the adrenaline that she'd suppressed for days in hopes of saving whatever was left…

Jesus, it was _intoxicating_.

That was when Emily finally broke free from her still pose. It was like watching a falling star, or an actress breaking free from her role as she stepped out of the wide screen. It was evidence that she was human, not just a statue. That Ems can still break, or fall apart, and that she can still fall.

She can fall hard enough to leave her imprint on the concrete that is her mind.

Naomi hadn't realized that she had been shaking until she felt warmth suddenly begin on her shoulders and spread throughout her upper body. Lowering her gaze to the fabric of the coat that Emily had slipped around her shoulders, the blonde felt a lump forming in her throat.

Fuck whoever said that Naomi Campbell was the _only_ charmer in Bristol.

Emily watched her immobile girlfriend for a long moment, tilting her head gently to the side as she stared at the back of her head. At least she wasn't shaking as much. _Whatever Katie said to her must've tripped her out,_ she reasoned. Though she knew deep down that it was the confession that was clawing Naomi from the inside out, willing her to run while Emily's body heat compelled her to stay. But certainly Naomi would know that, being all seeing and such.

The redhead had ignored the rumbling thunder the first time around, convincing herself that it had just been another side effect of being pissed. But then Naomi jerked her head towards the door as well, a small smile spreading across her lips. Emily's lips naturally followed her actions into a makeshift lopsided smile.

* * *

"Still complete shit as company," Naomi finally muttered, though she closed her eyes as she realized that she was pressing her luck. That is, until she opened them to find Emily standing in front of her again, but this time they were able to hold each other's gaze.

"Yeah," Emily replied simply, though her smile was reaching her eyes this time and it gave them a slight sparkle. Then a sigh left her lips as she wandered towards the door, reaching out to let the raindrops fall on her skin. "When I was little, I'd step in the puddles in my new dress… mum and Katie would hate it, moaning and bitching the whole way home about how I had to be lady like, though I knew da' wouldn't reprimand me for it."

Naomi listened intently as Emily recited an anecdote about her youth, which was the most she'd heard the redhead speak in _days_. It was a little strained and she could hear the pauses when her girl sniffled, though she could only see her back from where she was sitting. Any other day, that would have made for a perfect view…

Yeah, so she was a little bit of a perv like Cook, get over it.

Emily felt the tears building, but they didn't fall as she stepped out into the rain, shivering at the sudden impact of the cold substance running down her body. The shade of red in her hair intensified, before it became darker as it became matted to her skull and plastered a bit to her cheeks. Katie would probably have a fit if she saw her makeup running in public, but Emily just didn't give a fuck. If people wanted to stare, they could.

It's not like Freddie's yard was a tourist attraction anyway.

The moisture that had threatened to fall from her eyes started to mix in with the rain to the point where she couldn't tell where one started and the other began. It was liberating and refreshing, feeling for a split moment like she could wash all of her sullen thoughts away and just let herself be reborn… like a phoenix rising out of its ashes. But she still couldn't do this alone, she feared. Not completely.

Naomi didn't say a word as she watched Emily step out into the rain. She felt her feet moving of their own accord from underneath her, moving towards the doorway to watch as the redhead stretched out her arms above her head. She looked so beautiful, like she was dancing to a song that only she could hear.

Soon enough, Naomi had shrugged off the coat and let it sink to the floor, before taking a few tentative steps outside, gasping at the sudden change in temperature as the rain drenched through her clothing to the bone.

But she didn't stop, not until she was standing beside Emily.

In a bold move, Naomi reached out and took the other girl's hand in her own. It was the only warmth that she could feel from her head to her toes, knowing that JJ would be able to calculate their chances of catching hypothermia. Or how Cook would make some tosser remark about being wet and splashing about. Or Effy with her fucking all-knowing looks; while Freds looked on with an arm slung around the latter brunette's shoulders, remembering how he had to swim and fight and practically pass drowning lessons to get to her. Or Panda's fan girl squeals about the couple, while Tommo glanced down at the sneakers that Emily was wearing.

The redhead had never returned them after he gave them to her at the bus stop, but the spicy foods champion didn't seem to mind.

Emily didn't move away, biting the corner of her lip as she slowly laced their fingers together. She closed her eyes and reveled in the fact of how perfectly they still fit, opening them again to find Naomi staring back at her. Neither of them dared to say anything as the lightning lit up the sky, their grips tightening ever so slightly on each other out of fear.

Not from the weather, but out of the fear of losing each other.

* * *

**A/N:** So I went out camping and I had Naomily on the brain almost all the time. I'm totally hopeless, I know. Thanks for reading and allowing me an insight into your minds. It's interesting to step out of your own shoes for a bit and see things from the other side of the glass. And for those who were wondering: don't worry, things are looking up for the girls (:


	6. Chapter 6

If there was one thing that Emily wasn't good at, it was braving the cold. She was shivering vigorously from head to toe by the time they made it back to the Campbell residence. Clenching her jaw to try to stop her teeth from chattering, the redhead kicked her sneakers off by the doorway while she peered back outside at their transportation.

Naomi had entered first and disappeared into the guest room, pulling out a few quids from her bag. It was rather old and raggedy with nearly every single inch covered with patches and slogans from protest rallies.

Emily used to trace her fingertips over the words and read them to her with a quirked brow, challenging them with a cute little wrinkle of her nose in an attempt to set her off.

Naomi chuckled under her breath at the thought, before pulling away. When her eyes met Emily's by the door, she nodded silently towards the bath, before leaving the room to pay the cab. He was a cheeky little bastard that reminded her a lot of Cook with that little twinkle in his eyes and she couldn't help but toss a "piss off!" his way after she paid him what was due.

When the blonde got back inside, her bright blue eyes fell on the trail of wet footprints that led down the hallway to the bath. Pressing her palm against the door, Naomi stood there for a moment, before sighing and leaning back against the wall beside it.

_I'm not calling you a liar,_  
_Just don't lie to me._

After having stripped off her clothing, Emily combed her fingers through her damp red tresses as she stared back at her reflection. She had dried herself off with a towel, but she was still freezing. Her hand stopped moving in mid-air when she heard a gentle movement outside her door, looking down to see the shadow that could only belong to one other person.

Naomi patiently stood out there, drenched down to the bone for what felt like hours, even though it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. Her breath hitched in her throat when the door finally opened, turning her head slightly to find a familiar pair of chocolate brown eyes staring back at her intently.

"Warm me up," came the surprisingly steady, husky response from the shivering redhead.

Naomi stared down at her lips for a long moment, half-expecting a condescending group of words to spill out from them. When they didn't, she nodded silently and moved into her old bedroom… no, _their_ bedroom.

It didn't take long for Emily to follow, standing in the doorway as she wondered how Naomi would react to her words. She furrowed her brows when the blonde stripped out of her wet clothing and stepped into a rather large jumper.

Naomi shook her blonde hair out of her eyes before slowly turning back to her.

Emily watched her carefully as she moved closer, now more avidly aware that she was clad only in her bra and a pair of boy shorts. She was emotionally exhausted from the last few days. Truth be told, Emily had arrived with half the mind to just sleep the rest of the dreary day away, so this would do.

But she was curious about how Naomi would respond to her request, hoping that instead of dodging it or running away like she always did, that the blonde would surprise her for once.

_I'm not calling you a thief,_  
_Just don't steal from me._

Naomi lightly bit her lower lip, feeling Emily's apprehension and those beautiful brown eyes peering right into her soul. She shifted a bit into her jumper, until she had pulled her arms out of the sleeves and they hung loosely on down her sides. She glanced at Emily silently for unconditional permission, which her girlfriend wearily granted, before pulling the jumper down around her too.

Now both of them were sharing the snug little cocoon made out of Naomi's knitted jumper.

The soft fabric made Emily's skin feel amazingly warm, but it was the gesture that made her feel warm on the inside. A soft smile spreading across her curved lips slowly put out the doubt flickering in Naomi's wide eyes, knowing that this could very well be just as (if not _more_) intimate than anything they had ever done. Finally, they both seemed to relax in their own skin.

Emily knew that it had been hard for the blonde to be this close to anyone.

She could share her house, or some of her things, but it seemed like Naomi's resolve was always to keep people at a certain distance. Even after they made love, which was presumably the closest two human beings can ever be to one another, Emily had noticed that her girlfriend would turn away when they talked. Later, she would sleep facing away from her.

Yeah, Emily could reach her for a moment or two, but Naoms would never linger.

_I'm not calling you a ghost,_  
_Just stop haunting me._

This time, however, neither of them could run or turn away from the other. Emily slowly wrapped her arms around Naomi, not wanting to stretch her olive green jumper more than they had to, feeling her eyes drift closed when the other girl mimicked her actions.

Their foreheads leaned forward and met somewhere in the middle, the skin on skin contact causing a shudder to leave their parted lips.

But Naomi's eyes didn't close, mostly out of the fear that this moment with Emily would disappear the moment she opened them again. She knew that she was being tested. She knew that she could have easily gone another route, giving in to old ways that were only a temporary fix for her fears.

Naoms had to face her dragons. She had to prove herself to Emily. It wasn't all about her; no, she had to put her girlfriend _first_ this time.

"Do you remember this?"

Emily opened her eyes at those words, furrowing her brows as little as she followed Naomi's intent gaze transfixed on the jumper. It only took her a few seconds before it finally clicked, causing a shuddered gasp to leave her lips. "T-the one you w-wore at the lake?"

Naomi simply nodded, a bright smile curving her lips that seemed close to reaching her eyes. "It has your scent," she explained, "Sometimes when you couldn't stay because of Katie or your mum, I'd lay it out on my bed and sit down beside it. I knew I should have been working on my maths or some stupid assignment, but…"

She stopped to notice Emily's lower lip trembling, before sniffing back the tears that were threatening to run and chuckling a bit as a defense mechanism.

"I'd sit there and just… well, rehearse all the things I could never say to you. My mum walked in one time. Asked me if I was going mad… I wasn't sure what to say to her then."

"What would you tell her now?" Emily whispered, not tearing her eyes away from Naomi for a second, knowing that this was deeper than she had ever gotten. Possibly deeper than she would _ever_ get.

_And I love you so much,_  
_I'm gonna let you kill me._

Naomi smiled sheepishly at this, biting her lower lip like she always did when she had to take a second to think, lowering her gaze as she rested her arms around Emily's neck. She interlocked her fingers, taking in a light breath before finally gazing at the redhead again.

"I'd tell her… that if feeling empty when you're not around, or scared because I actually care what you think about me…"

Naomi's fingers treaded through the other girl's damp red locks in long, careful strokes, like a sailor struggling between setting sail or throwing out an anchor when the calm of a storm is just beyond the horizon.

"If being afraid of hurting you because I know that I can, just as much as you can hurt me…"

Emily's eyes continued to stare at her, until Naomi could no longer avoid her gaze and felt herself being pulled back into those dark brown orbs, right back into the eye of the storm.

"If that's what being mad is, then I want to be mad for the rest of my life. I'm so sorry, Emily."

There was so much sincerity in Naomi's voice that Emily wasn't sure how to respond. None of the words that were knocking into each other in her mind seemed to make sense. Not a single one. So instead, she leaned forward and captured the blonde's lips in her own, kissing her gently at first.

After feeling Naomi reciprocate with a sigh of relief, their lips danced together of their own accord and her brain was no longer in control.

_I'm not calling you a liar,_  
_Just don't lie to me._

Neither of them heard Emily's phone vibrating on the nightstand by the bed that they had tumbled into with a fit of giggles and messy kisses. They were a beautiful tangled mess of limbs and lips, not sure where one ended or the other began. No one seemed to care either.

When they could no longer hold their breath, Emily rested her head in the crook of Naomi's neck as they both panted with flushed cheeks, no longer shaking from the cold or self-restraint… well, there had been a _little_ self-restraint, but the redhead knew that this was as far as they could go without it feeling like a quick fix in the morning. She never wanted it to feel like that for them.

Besides, she wanted them to have dinner together tonight, for the first time since the Sophia incident.

Naomi was perfectly content when Ems seemed to settle into the comfort of _their_ bed, one which she hadn't slept in for a while now. Gently stroking the skin on Emily's sides, she felt her euphoria turn into exhaustion, tugging her eyelids down like curtains as she murmured sweet nothings to her red.

"Hello, sleep. I've missed you quite terribly. My Ems has returned to me and we can meet again once more…"

Emily smiled warmly as Naoms drifted off, pressing a kiss to her jawline before turning her head with narrowed eyes towards her cellphone. Slipping her arm carefully into one of the sleeves of the jumper, she reached over to flip it open.

Seeing the name on the screen under 'New Txt Msg,' her lips fell into a bit of a disgruntled frown as she clenched her hand into a fist so that it slammed closed. She put it away and settled back into Naomi's warm, safe embrace, closing her eyes with creases forming on the bridge of her nose.

They slowly dissipated as sleep overtook her too.

* * *

**A/N:** Centered lyric excerpts from I'm Not Calling You A Liar by Florence + The Machine.


	7. Chapter 7

Naomi was stirred awake when she felt something shift, her eyes fluttering open slowly as she looked to see Emily having a hard time trying to wiggle out of the jumper without waking her. Clearly, she failed, but the redhead was so wrapped up in her struggle that she didn't notice. Giggling gently, Naoms cleared her throat to catch the other girl's attention, raising her brows in a playful motion when she received one of those looks.

"I didn't mean to wake you, honest!" Emily protested, though the familiar pair of lips quickly silenced her and she found herself subconsciously smiling into the kiss. "It's just rather late and I wanted to make us some—"

Naomi narrowed her eyes a bit to look at the clock on the wall, her lips parting into an incredulous o-shape before groaning. "Seven in the fucking morning?"

But it wasn't morning, which made Emily's brows furrow in confusion. It was even starting to get dark out, instead of the other way around. Had Naomi really not slept for _that_ long? Jesus. Deciding to take her by surprise and playing along to this little game, she simply nodded as they both sat up. Of course, Emily ended up straddling the blonde's lap, since they were still snug in the jumper and she couldn't get too far.

"Breakfast?"

It was obvious that their definitions of breakfast were _very_ different at this point. "Come on, I'm serious. What do you think woke me up?"

"Oh, so now you're trying to pin this on me?" Naomi retorted with a mock gasp, though she was far more relieved to be having light banter with Emily, rather than those death glare challenges from across the room. "Tsk, tsk, Ems. It's not like I was talking in my sleep, or—"

Just then almost if on cue, her stomach rumbled loudly and Emily pursed her lips together into a bit of a smug smirk, her brown eyes meeting the sheepishly narrowed blue ones. She knew that Naomi was admitting that she was right, not even just by looking at her lips, but by the smile lines and the creases forming on her cheeks. She knew that if she dared to lower her gaze any further, she'd give in to her ulterior motives.

"Right, I'll get to it then," Emily added as she finally pulled out of the jumper, but not before wrapping her arms around the defeated blonde and kissing her gently.

Before the redhead headed towards the door, Naomi grabbed her forearm gently. "Thank you," she said, though she could see Emily's lips parting to offer a quick rebuttal, reaching over to press her lips against the side of her mouth to stop her. "I know you haven't forgiven me. That's something I have to earn. But you…"

Naomi shifted a bit in her spot, furrowing her brows as the words tried to fit together right inside her head.

"You trusted me."

Emily stared at her for a long moment, before running her free hand down the fabric of the jumper, nodding her head gently to show that she understood. "I did. Keep it this time, yeah? I don't give it lightly," she said with her gentle husky tone rumbling in her throat, a bit more hoarse than usual because it was coated with sleep.

The blonde, of course, found this _incredibly_ sexy. But she decided not to push her luck. She wasn't going to take anything for granted anymore.

So Naomi nodded to herself and tucked her arm underneath her head for support as she turned to the side, staring off at the wall as she took a few more moments to soak up the warmth that Emily left behind. Her scent was everywhere; it was rather fucking wonderful. She slowly slipped her hands through the sleeves and brought one of her hands up under her nose, curling up into a fetal position as she let her eyes drift closed for a moment or two.

God, if only they could be this normal _every_ morning (or late evening, unbeknownst to her). The rest of the day didn't really matter, as long as they woke up together. She hoped that she wouldn't fuck anything else up today.

She would have offered to help with breakfast, but she wanted to give Emily her space too. She was a little afraid that now that Emily had tasted freedom again, she might want to hold on to it a little longer. In her thoughts, they were dating, but their relationship had never really… well, _ended_, so to speak.

So how would she know when it began again?

Naomi was torn out of her thoughts by a faint buzzing, her bright blue eyes drifting over to Emily's cellphone. Normally, she could care less who was calling her. It was probably Katie. But there was an inkling tugging on her heartstrings now as she stared at the moving device. Just when it was damn well near falling off the edge, Naomi's hand fell down on it and she snatched it off the nightstand. She held it in her palm for a long time, forcing herself not to look down at the name.

Curiosity got the best of her, however. She peeked at it for just a second and her heart settled back into place. _Unknown caller_. Surely if it was someone that Ems knew, she wouldn't be shy about putting in a name... I mean, she _had_ snogged some random girl in front of her, right?

Yes, she was being ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. And keeping this in mind, Naomi walked out into the kitchen with it in tow, leaning over to put it on the countertop before she crossed her arms over her chest and watched Emily at work. She was cooking exceptionally fast, almost as if she was just doing it out of anxiety. The blonde could tell that something was bothering her, something big, but she toyed with her bottom lip as she wondered how to ask her without prying.

"Ems? Do you want me to…?" her words trailed off as Emily shook her head, before getting distracted at the sight of the cellphone and burning herself on the stove with a loud yelp.

"Fucking hell!"

Emily held her scalded hand with a whimper, as Naomi rushed for a towel and some ice, wrapping it all up into a neat little mess before she bounded back over to the redhead's side. "Here, Ems, let me see it," Naomi said as she gently took Emily's hand in hers sunny side up, pressing the towel down against the palm of her hand. It was almost unbearable to see those painful tears surfacing again, though she could tell that Emily was blinking them away furiously, trying to be brave for them like she always was.

The blonde went around turning off all the appliances, before moving with Emily over to the dining room table. "It's not that bad, really," Emily tried to reassure her with a shake of her head, although she would wince deeply when the ice actually made contact with her skin through the fabric. "I'm just a klutz."

Naomi met her eyes for a moment, sighing gently as she moved the towel away in over to place a kiss on her hand. "Accidents happen. I'll make breakfast… how do you like your eggs? I can make them anyway you'd like," she said with a sly, curved brow, causing a giggle from Emily. "What?"

Emily just shook her head, before hearing someone at the door. "Scrambled, please. And if it's your pervy postman again," the redhead continued, her words drifting off as she put some distance between them. But it was rather easy for her to fill in the blanks for the other girl.

Naomi simply laughed, shaking her head to herself as she poked her head into the fridge for the egg carton. Then she heard the buzzing again, which was starting to get on her nerves a little, catching her by surprise and making her hit her head on the inside roof of the fridge. "Jesus!" she muttered, rubbing her head as she moved back over to the countertop and tapped her fingertips against it in a familiar rhythm. _To be, or not to let it be, that is the question._

"Fuck it."

She pulled it open and narrowed her eyes a bit as she read it, her bright blue eyes darting carefully from side to side until they reached the bottom of the screen.

* * *

Emily bit her lower lip gently to try to relocate the pain elsewhere, using her good hand to open the door. She almost fucking bit it off as she tilted her head back a bit to stare up into the eyes of the last person she expected to see:

Mandy.

"Hey, I didn't know you—"

"What happened to your hand?" came the immediate response from the other girl, and it was then that Emily realized that she had pain coming from somewhere else; you know, other than the thumping heart in her ribcage.

"Oh, this is just… nothing. I'm fine. What are you doing here?" Emily replied as she leaned against the doorframe, her cheeks a bit flushed as her chocolate brown eyes seemed to focus on anywhere but the girl in front of her.

"Well, you didn't call, or… answer my calls, so I figured maybe something was wrong," Mandy said, her tone a bit too direct for her liking.

"Yeah, it is. I mean, I told you I needed someone to hang out with and have a good time… that was it. Nothing happened between us and it won't. Not ever," Emily said in the gentlest tone she could muster, though she could see the disappointment radiating off of the other girl in waves. But she wasn't intimidated by the difference in their statures.

In fact, it had been one of the things that drew her towards Mandy, because she was so fucking different. Everything she _didn't_ want. Yeah, it was selfish, but it was safer that way. Emily had basically assured herself that she wouldn't fall for her, because she wasn't her type.

No one was, to be honest, because her only type was Naomi Campbell.

"_She's_ never going to give you what you want, Emily," Mandy bit off angrily, clearly upset and perhaps attempting to sway the redhead's vote, but it was clear that she couldn't be moved. So she continued, though she was only digging her own grave. "_I_ can give you what you want."

Emily stared her square in the eye, giving her a sad smile for a moment because she knew what it was like to love someone that didn't love you back. But unlike Naomi, she was never going to come around for Mandy. She'd just be lying to herself if she gave the other girl any hope, even if things didn't work out with the blonde. "Maybe. But you can't give me what I need… I'm in love with her, Mandy." It was the first time that she had admitted it aloud, much less to herself after what happened with Sophia. But it was true.

"I'm sorry. Thanks for stopping by," Emily added, before she gently closed the door and pressed her back to it, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Who was that?" came a voice from the kitchen, a smile spreading across the redhead's lips as she saw Naomi taking their plates over to the table with a rather cheeky looking apron. She was distracted by it for a moment, before lifting her gaze to see the blonde looking at her expectantly…

Jesus, she was _still_ just as bad with the staring.

"Oh, just an old friend," Emily replied simply with a small shrug of her shoulders, before she moved to sit down across from the chef. It wasn't necessarily a lie, though she doubted that Mandy would want to maintain a friendship when it was something else she wanted. It would be too hard for the girl and too hard on her too, even if she shouldn't feel guilty. "This looks great."

"Thank you," Naomi said with a little spin and a grin, before removing the apron and taking a seat herself. "Is your hand okay?"

"Mm-hmm. It'll be fine," Emily reassured her with a smile, though those last three words seemed to speak volumes. _They_ would be okay. It was a little strange talking to each other again, after going so long without saying a word during their silent treatments, but it was like falling back into an old habit. This one Emily never wanted to break. She wondered when Naomi would notice that it wasn't time for breakfast, or if she had caught on already and just didn't mind being a little unpredictable.

Breakfast for dinner wasn't _entirely_ crazy.

When they caught each other's gaze for a moment or two, Ems was almost sure that there was a playful glint in those baby blues, telling her that _she knew_ without actually saying anything and it was the best feeling ever to still have that kind of connection.

After she took a bite of the rather scrumptious meal that she had prepared, Naomi motioned over to the cellphone and broke the comfortable silence that had settled between them. "It's a hazard in the house. I almost stuck it in the freezer, so for the love of… James?"

Emily nearly choked on her food, coughing a bit as she downed quite a bit of orange juice, before clearing her throat. "I'm sorry, what? James… Cook? Bond?" But as she followed Naomi's gaze, she looked to see another head of sandy blonde hair that a lot more familiar. _Oh, fucking hell!_

"Did you know that trees walk out of your driveway? Gordon McPherson says that the brill wankers who direct pornos have an overactive imagination... oh good, you've made breakfast!"

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, the previous chapter was complete fluff, because I think the angst can take a little break. This was a little more humor-oriented (hopefully a nice change?), along with tying up some loose ends, though I'm pretty sure it untied a few more. And since Katie had her say, it was only fair for the littlest Fitch to get a few words in too... however inappropriate in his bad timing. I've been "pulling an Emily" myself by updating/writing a lot lately, mostly out of anxiety and insomnia (don't think anyone will be complaining though). Thanks for reading, your words have cheered me up (:


	8. Chapter 8

James Fitch didn't give either of them long enough to respond as he pulled up a chair at the table and plopped himself down, taking their silence as a warm welcome. He chose to ignore their collective sideways glances as he stared at Emily's wrapped up hand with wide-eyes. "Fuckin' A! I didn't know being a dyke was dangerous!"

Naomi narrowed her eyes slightly closed in anticipation for the unavoidable blow, chuckling a bit despite herself as Emily grabbed his ear and tugged his head close to her ear. "What the hell are you doing here, James?" she asked sharply, using that low Fitch tone that Naomi hated hearing. James protested loudly as Emily scowled at him, until he finally broke.

The older blonde in the room would be lying if she didn't admit that seeing the redhead in control like that was a bit of a turn-on, just clearly not in _this_ situation.

Still, it was rather cute how flustered her brother got her with just a few lines. Naomi knew that even Cook could learn a few things from this kid. She pushed her food around in her plate with her fork as she watched the interaction, deciding not to take sides. It was safer that way. Instead, she stood up to grab a plate for James, in hopes that keeping his mouth full would mean no more talking…

Though it was really just a half-arsed attempt, because she knew that a Fitch _never_ backed down.

"Didn't you get the texts? … oww! Mum and dad want me to stay here with you, despite your girlfriend being a bad influence to my lib—libo—libido… okay, _okay_!"

Emily finally released him from her vice grip, sighing as she brushed her hair out of her face, before giving Naomi an apologetic smile as she watched her girlfriend bring another plate to the table. James didn't hesitate to dig in and she couldn't really blame him for that. Their mother's cooking wasn't exactly… well, _cooking_.

"I'm waiting."

James looked up from his already half-finished plate, raising his brows before he realized what Emily was waiting for. "I just wanted to visit. Katie's been a downright cunt since you left… oww, what was _that_ for? It's the truth!" He rubbed the back of his head vigorously with a frown, flashing Naomi a sheepish half-smile before digging back into his generous helping of breakfast… err, dinner.

"How did you get here?" Naomi asked the other blonde curiously, seeing Emily stand out of the corner of her eye and disappearing into the kitchen.

"Took the bus," James said with a casual shrug of his shoulders, rolling his shoulders back slightly to look as old as possible. Yes, he still wanted to _fuck_ Naomi, and although he knew that it would never happen it still didn't stop him from trying to impress her a bit. Noticing Naomi's quirked brow, the youngest Fitch rolled his eyes and grumbled.

"Dad dropped me off."

* * *

Emily moved towards the sink, letting her burned hand hover under the running tap for a moment as she flexed her fingers. The swelling had stopped, so there was just a burning sensation sitting in her palm now. But she could deal with that. Her dark brown eyes fell on the perpetrator of her incident, reaching for the cellphone with her good hand and looking through her messages.

She stopped when one of them caught her eye, and although it was marked as read, Emily hadn't seen it before. She squinted her eyes a bit as she scanned it quickly, toying with her bottom lip before she peered over in the direction of her girlfriend and their impromptu houseguest; seems he wasn't that impromptu after all.

_They caught James perving on the neighbors… typical. Mum got hysterical. Dad might drop him off before looking for a job tonight. Miss you. x Katie._

Emily sighed with a gentle smile curving her lips, feeling like things were back to normal for a moment as Katie clued her in to what was going on with the Fitches. It felt just like being at home, though she wasn't quite sure _where_ that was anymore. Their former house was being auctioned to complete strangers that didn't know the backstory behind it.

They didn't know which step creaked on the stairs, or why they had a cat flap (even though there wasn't a single cat in sight). They wouldn't understand why sometimes it was comforting to sink to the floor beside the front door, just sit and think in silence on those long nights when Naomi was too busy doing coursework to be bothered.

Emily could have written a whole list of 'things to know,' but they wouldn't be relevant to the newcomers and it still didn't make it okay. She was being mentally tugged around in the struggle of a mild headache forming and pulsating through her temples, before a new text message caught her attention. It made a knot form in her stomach and she started to feel short of breath, the words hitting her—ironically, so—like a freight train.

_I know what she did to you. Do you really want to end up like that girl? x Mandy._

She clenched her jaw at this assumption, wondering how it was any of her business anyway. Okay, so maybe the redhead was a _little_ defensive, even though she really shouldn't be defending Naomi's actions either. Still, Mandy had _no_ right to bring that up! A part of her wanted to believe that it was because the (freakishly) taller girl cared for her, but Emily had been vindictive enough lately to spot it coming a mile away.

So she didn't answer. She felt like she didn't have to prove anything to anyone and they weren't under investigation. She brushed some of her red tresses behind her ear, erasing the message before shoving it into her pocket.

Then Emily suddenly noticed that Naomi had prepared more than enough food for them.

Was it possible that she _knew_ James was coming? Had she been going through her things? What else had she seen? Why didn't she just ask? The redhead felt like she was being fucking cornered from all sides and it was overwhelming. Her sister was resentful at her for moving out, a former interest was digging up their past, her dad didn't even come up to the door to say 'ello, and now James was sitting at the table with her girlfriend, the same girl that he wanted to…

Oh god.

* * *

Naomi watched the boy scarf down his food like he hadn't eaten in weeks. She wondered what mother Fitch cooked for her children, because Ems always had quite the appetite when she was here too. She was partially grateful that she hadn't been invited over for a family dinner yet (or ever, as her future looked bleak on that part), considering that they didn't even seem to know how to eat a Garibaldi…

Can you _fucking_ believe that?

While they were co-existing at her place, the blonde had witnessed them staring down at the plate like it was going to grow a pair of legs and just… fly away!

James finished what was on his plate, before noticing that Naomi's attention was on him. He beamed at this, of course, before remembering that he was here for a reason. "Oh, I was going to show you my new number," he stated with a raised index finger in the air, before disappearing from the room. "Hold on!"

Naomi heard the front door open, but her attention was diverted towards the incoming redhead that looked rather cross. She wondered if she had done something wrong, frowning when they fell back into an uncomfortable silence. "Emily?" she asked gently, noticing the far away look in the other girl's eyes. "Are you alright, babe?"

When the middle Fitch refused to look at her again, Naomi realized that maybe she had been hanging out a bit too much with Cook. I mean, 'babe,' really? Fuck. Lowering her gaze to her plate, she decided to play with her food again, pushing it around with her eating utensils distractedly.

"Where's James?"

Naomi finally looked up at Emily's simple question, pointing over her shoulder towards the door. "Said he was going to show me his new number, whatever that means," she said skeptically with raised brows, before reaching over to touch her arm. "Look, if I upset you…"

"You knew he was coming, didn't you?" came the accusatory tone from the redhead, though Naomi could tell that her anger was misplaced.

There comes a time in every relationship where you have to learn to pick your battles. This was certainly not one of them and lately it had been more about solving the problem than winning the battle. Not that she knew what the problem was; that would help a ton. "I told you, your phone is a hazard. I thought maybe it was an emergency or something, I didn't tell you because I… fuck, I just…"

Those dark brown orbs were now focused on every fiber of her being and the blonde felt herself being scrutinized under her watchful gaze, like an insect under a microscope.

"I enjoyed this... I enjoyed being able to talk to you again, holding your gaze without feeling like I was stepping over broken glass, okay? And it wasn't much of a heads up anyway, it was while you were talking to an old friend or whatever," Naomi explained quickly, knowing that James could interrupt them any second and she didn't want this to hang over their heads for the rest of the day. They _needed_ to get passed all of this.

"She's not a friend," Emily stated flatly after a moment, brown meeting blue across the table in an intricate dance of mixed emotions while tension filled the air again.

Before, it _would_ have been suffocating, but Naomi knew that she had gotten passed some of these new walls. She'd left her imprint on the blood red bricks and cut out her figure in the fence. She knew her way around the sharp, dangerous edges of Emily's tone, and although it made it easier, it didn't necessarily ease her mind.

"The tree had a nice rack."

The couple turned towards James, who had slipped into a Lycra outfit from his bag that they hadn't noticed he'd dropped by the door. "For a straight girl," he added, shaking his blonde hair out of his bright eyes with a rather cheeky grin. "What? Elliot Evans says I've got a pretty fucking whizzer gaydar."

Naomi and Emily glanced at each other, both stifling uncomfortable chuckles at his bluntness while James looked on.

Then they noticed him go back to his bag and pull out a box that Emily recognized all too well, her eyes widening in sheer panic and a hint of embarrassment as she practically bolted out of her seat. But James saw her coming and ran around the table, just out of her grasp.

"James, don't you fucking dare! What are you doing with that?"

"It's not like it's a secret," James said with a roll of his eyes, holding it out for Naomi to see. It was Emily's box of fannies, which had puzzled and frustrated him greatly after she changed her combination. Katie shoved it in their closet after she confronted Emily about it, but it took James less than five minutes to find it before their house was repossessed.

(By the way, no, he _still_ didn't regret kicking one of those tossers in the face.)

Emily finally managed to snatch it out of his hands, but not before Naomi skimmed over the juvenile decorations and warnings on the cover. The redhead held it close to her chest, that old shyness flashing across her eyes for an instant as she tossed a sharp glare towards her little brother: one of those 'I'll get you for this later' kind of looks.

"Hey! At least I saved it for you. Those bollocky wankers would have put their hands all over it!" James said defensively, because it truly had been a thoughtful thing to do, sneaking one of his sister's belongings out before they lost everything. Katie didn't think of doing anything like that, yet the twins used to be as thick as thieves.

So James deserved a little credit for his unselfish deed, right?

Emily's expression softened at this, realizing that she was ragging a little too much on James. He was just a boy. She pulled the box back a bit to examine it and ran her fingertips over the cover, sighing gently as she remembered Katie's harsh words battering her eardrums. She remembered her father's clear, humorous denial and her mother's outburst, while James just… carried on with his inappropriate humor, but he had accepted it in his own way.

She just didn't realize it until now, how he didn't look at her like she had a disease for not being able to pick who she loved, or showered her with disapproval about how this was just a phase.

James flinched outwardly out of habit when Emily approached him with a quick pace to her steps, before pulling him into a tight hug. Even if he still was her rotten little brother, the peeping Tom and potty mouth Fitch, he'd been the one to remember her. It was a small thoughtful gesture, but it was enough to make her eyes water.

The contents of the box or her invasion of privacy suddenly weren't that important anymore.

"I can't breathe!" he gasped out in a muffled voice, before looking up as Emily stepped away and kissed the top of his head. She turned away and wiped at her cheeks, not used to showing emotion like she used to. Not since the fall-out with her girlfriend. Then she disappeared into the rest of the house, leaving James and Naomi to themselves.

* * *

"That was a nice thing you did, James," Naomi said gently after a brief pause, letting the scene that she had just witnessed fully sink in. She stood up and reached over to ruffle his hair, before catching his expectant gaze. Oh right, the number. "Why don't you get the music ready in the living room, while I go talk to your sis, okay?"

"Will she be alright? I didn't mean to make her upset."

"Yeah," Naomi said with a reassuring nod, though she was a little surprised at how much James really picked up on things. She made a mental note to never underestimate the kid. "Yeah, she's just dealing with a lot. It's mostly my fault… I, uhh, I fucked up."

James tilted his head a bit as he looked to the older blonde, setting his crude humor and personal desires aside for a moment. He'd gotten a little more mature after seeing his family fall apart, though not by much. Maybe it was the respect that he held for Naomi that made him carry on, although he could have easily left like she said.

"She wanted you to come for dinner. Emily, I mean. But Katie brought her tosser boyfriend and mum said you wouldn't fit at the six seater table… we don't have a six seater anymore. I wouldn't mind if you came over."

Naomi smiled at his acceptance, giving him a nod of her head before heading out in search of Emily. Besides, she had to mentally prepare herself for whatever 'number' James had picked up from watching too much telly. She searched the rest of the house before stopping in the hallway, inching open the door to their bedroom and peering inside to see the redhead holding the box in her lap.

Her feet padded gently against the floor as she let herself in, not saying a word as she moved to sit beside Emily, her Emily.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh James Fitch, be still my heart. I always wondered what would happen with that fanny box, and most importantly, what else was in it? Hmm, food for thought. As always, thanks for reading and sticking with this story. It's a lovely distraction and I'm flattered that you think so too. This chapter's a bit longer, so I hope it doesn't disappoint. Also, as a side note, I'm not sure when I plan to end this story. I didn't start it with a set number of chapters in mind, it was a rather spontaneous sort of thing like most of my writings, so I'm just going to run with it. Enjoy the weekend (:


	9. Chapter 9

Emily was pleasantly surprised when she turned her head to find Naomi sitting there. She didn't say a single word, trailing her fingers over the box that held her deepest secret for so many years. Then she leaned her head against the blonde's shoulder, closing her eyes when she felt the other girl's fingertips stroking through her radiant red hair.

"Talk to me, Ems."

It was a simple request, but Emily wasn't quite sure where to start. "It's strange, not living with them anymore. It's easier because I don't have to wait for an hour for Katie to finish in the fucking bath, or remembering to make lunch for James, but… I miss it sometimes. The chaos," she said, knowing that it didn't make much sense. It didn't even fall together right in her head, so how could she ask her girlfriend to understand it?

"I know what you mean," Naomi replied, surprising the redhead who prompted her to elaborate with a curious glance. "It wasn't just me and my mum. It was me, my mum, and usually at least ten other people. Babies from people we didn't know… Jesus look-a-likes… it was chaos all the time." She laughed a little in anticipation at what she was going to say next.

"When mum and Kieran went off on their own, it was so quiet. I didn't put up much of a fight when you showed up on my doorstep because… I wanted you here, Ems."

Emily sighed out a breath that she didn't remember holding, reaching over for her girlfriend's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Her name is Mandy," she said after a lingering pause, rubbing her thumb over the top of Naomi's hand. She felt the blonde stiffen beside her and she half-expected the accusations to roll. But they didn't.

"After what happened with… I just wanted to get away. And then she looked at me, like you used to look at me," Emily continued, feeling Naomi's hand starting to pull away from her own, but she held it in place with a firm grasp. Turning towards her, she reached up with her free hand to lift Naomi's chin so that their eyes were level, years and years of adoration shining in her chocolate brown eyes.

"She can never replace you… she wanted to and I wanted to be able to let her. But she's not you, Naomi Campbell."

At those words, Naomi shuddered a warm breath into Emily's face, feeling the redhead brush her lips against her temple before she pulled away. A shaking hand fumbled with the combination of her box, which presumably held her secret stash. When Emily finally got it open, she pushed through the magazines and ignored the thumping of her heart lodged in her throat.

Down, down, down until she pulled out a picture.

Emily couldn't be any more than twelve, standing beside a beaming Katie who was taking the picture. At first glance, there wasn't anything special about the sight. It was just the Fitch twins all dolled up and proper for a party…

Then Naomi's bright blue eyes spotted someone standing in the background, squinting her eyes to notice a younger version of herself searching through her bag. She would have recognized that bag anywhere, all stitched up with slogans and band emblems. _No way!_ Her eyes suddenly shone with nostalgia and realization, letting them fall back on those dark brown orbs that were staring at her intently. "Why'd you keep that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Emily asked as she willed her hand to keep steady while holding up the photograph for them. "After I… you know, _kissed_ you, Katie and I went to develop the pictures with our parents. Katie said that the lighting didn't flatter her in this shot, so she went to throw it away and I… I kept it… I kept _you_."

"Wow," was all Naomi could manage, realizing now why the box had been so personal to her girlfriend.

"Yeah," Emily said breathlessly, chuckling sheepishly with a husky undertone as she closed the box and set it aside. "I knew it was the only place where I could keep it safe… that's why when James got into it, I fucking lost it. Made him promise not to tell anyone."

"Mmm, can't imagine that truce lasted very long," Naomi mused with a lopsided smile, giving the other girl a knowing look.

Emily simply shook her head, groaning as her headache decided to make a comeback. Her temples pulsated and throbbed with pain, burying her face into Naomi's shoulder and inhaling her scent. It wasn't scientifically proven why that made her feel legions better. None of what she felt for the blonde was. But the redheaded Fitch believed in it and that's all that really mattered. Mind over body, they say. Or sometimes even heart over mind.

"I'll take that," Naomi muttered as she took the photograph from Emily's outstretched hand. "I know just where to put it." A triumphant smile stretched across her curved lips, noticing the redhead's unwavering and probing stare, but deciding not to answer her just yet. It would become a part of their little mural on her wall. Her artistic side, however, didn't want anyone to see it until it was complete.

"Why don't you rest and I'll go look after James?" Naomi suggested carefully, noticing the creases that had formed on the bridge of Emily's nose. It was easy to pick up on those kinds of things, like signs of distress, after waking up beside her for many mornings. It was similar to when Ems woke up right after a nightmare. Before the other girl could protest, the clever blonde leaned forward to press her lips against her forehead, nuzzling their noses together affectionately as she pulled away. "Do you need anything?"

Emily watched her for a long moment, knowing now as sure as she ever did that the answer would always be _her_. But they were still treading water carefully and things could go either way. So instead, the redhead settled with, "No, I'm fine. I'll sleep it off." Before Naomi could get to the doorway, she added, "You have full permission to kick the shit out of him if he starts perving."

Naomi turned her head to glance over her shoulder with a stifled chuckle, nodding her head firmly as she left the room with that Campbell swagger to her step.

Emily was almost certain that the blonde didn't even know that she had it, mumbling under her breath as she plopped down on the bed. Very faintly, she could hear the sound of music coming from the sound system downstairs. "Oh fuck," she groaned as she pulled a pillow over her head to drown out the noise.

_James Fitch, I hope for your safety that you're gone before I get up from here._

* * *

Naomi was halfway into the kitchen when she heard the commotion coming from the living room. _Oh shit._ Her bright blue eyes widening in surprise, she rushed over to it half-expecting to find Cook with his trademark obnoxious, shit eating grin standing there with about… oh, like two hundred other people. Then she remembered that the youngest Fitch was going to show her his new number, a sigh of relief leaving her parted lips. Though after it was gone, she wondered which scenario would have been worse.

"Naomi! I almost thought you and Emily were—"

"Please, don't finish that sentence," Naomi cut him off, knowing exactly where he was headed with his observation, and although she would have liked—maybe even _loved_—for him to be right this once, he was still Emily's little brother.

Furthermore, he was Katie _fucking_ Fitch's little brother…

So if James went back home recounting a vivid sexual experience that he overheard between their sister and Naomi, surely the blonde would be dead before dawn at the hands of the leopard print wearing Fitch bitch.

James didn't seem too disappointed by the change in subject, using the small opening as his cue to turn on the music. Soon enough, 'Shut Up and Let Me Go' by the Ting Tings was blasting through the speakers again. Naomi wanted to furrow her brows, but it was hard not to move her head along to the beat as James moved around awkwardly in the lycra tights. His lips were even mouthing some of the words to the song (though no one could be sure how right he was) and Naomi couldn't help but wonder where he got it from.

A music video? Nah, too easy. He was probably playing peeping Tom and caught an eyeful, somehow managing to learn the steps too.

A smile of mischief suddenly spread across her lips, but it really have nothing to do with the number itself… no, it was the fact that if and when Katie found out what James was doing in _her_ lush clothes, she might just have a fucking heart attack.

(After laughing hysterically, Naomi assumed, since the tears were starting to sting the corners of her eyes at what Katie's face would look like.)

The only thing that broke her eye contact with the bouncing little blonde, besides the tears of amusement between laughter, was a pair of headlights. Both blondes turned towards the front door, the smaller of the two muttering something about "Elliot Evans" and how "circumstantial evidence can keep someone from getting laid."

James had already started collecting his things, assuming that it was his father. Naomi moved to open the front door, but as her hand curled around the doorknob, she found herself jerking it back quickly as the police started to flood into her home.

* * *

"What the fuck?" Naomi yelled in shock and confusion, grunting as she was pushed aside so that the rest of the lot could enter. She moved over to grab James, who stood there with wide eyes as they searched the premises. Soon enough, they heard shouting coming from the bedroom.

"Emily!" they shouted in unison, making their way through the cops that were turning her house upside down. The redhead was sitting up in the bed, her hair messy and all over the place as they threw stuff about. Her expression was clearly bewildered, but more leaning towards annoyed. She felt like her rights were being violated and her mind couldn't help but flash back to the event with Sophia, or how her stomach flip-flopped frantically like a fish out of water.

"Gordon McPherson says you bollocky wankers need a search warrant," James stated defiantly with crossed arms, to which one of the officers stopped and stared at him. It was notably a female officer, at that. So he took that opportunity to stare at her chest, as if he was entitled to do it his whole life.

"What's going on?" Emily finally asked, her husky voice thick with an interrupted dose of sleep and irritation.

"We got a complaint of illegal drug trafficking in this area," the narcotics officer replied flatly, motioning that they hadn't found anything to the others as she stood up from searching under the bed.

"From who?" Naomi asked with furrowed brows, glad for once that they often took to Freddie's shed to do what they did. So at least the smell wasn't trapped in the rooms. She didn't need her mother coming home early from her trip for something ridiculous; not that anyone ever said anything while they were doing communal living.

"I'm sorry, but that I cannot say. It was an anonymous tip," the officer added, before turning on her heel and leaving, but not before winking at James. "Cute kid… hey, I remember you! Weren't you the little perv in the caravan?"

Emily hid her face in her hands, while Naomi looked on with a quirked brow. So Katie _wasn't_ kidding. And here she thought the brunette actually knew how to make a joke. James, however, didn't seem discouraged at all or bashful about his actions. In fact, he was proud for what he'd done, and if her head were sticking out of a cat flap right now, the younger blonde probably would have kicked her in the face too. Assuming that he wasn't staring at her cleavage, that is.

"I've got a normal curiosity of the female anatomy for a boy my age."

Nothing else was said as the officers cleared out, leaving obvious signs of their fruitless search behind.

Naomi sighed in relief, though she could still feel her heart beating loudly in her throat. _An anonymous tip? Drug trafficking?_ She knew most of her neighbors for years and most of them would gladly join in on a drug-filled brothel in a heartbeat if it were hosted tomorrow. It just didn't make any sense.

To Emily, however, it made perfect sense. Her gut instincts were telling her that they didn't need to look very far for the perpetrator of this incident. Well, _she_ didn't need to look very far.


End file.
